Musical toy



June 1, 1948. E A. ZADIG MUSICAL TOY Filed June 29, 1944 lf mode he childlt followed herlfo school A BY Z071/ v ATTORNEY INVENTOR Patented June 1, A1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL TOY Ernest A. Zadig,'Norwalk, Conn.

Application June 29, 1944, Serial No. 542,761

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to musical toys.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toy having educational as Well as amusement value.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a perspective plan view of a book embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section through one leaf of the book, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of the musical comb.

According to the present invention, I provide a musical comb having teeth cut to dimensions such that when the individual teeth are vibrated successively, and in sequence, the successive musical notes sounded thereby will play a simple tune or melody. By positioning the words of a song in proper relation to .the teeth of the comb the toy may be used to teach children simple songs.

Thus, referring to the drawings, I have illustrated the invention as embodied in a book I having a pair of covers II and I2 and a pluralityr of fairly thick cardboard leaves I3 held together by means of the conventional loose leaf binding rings I4 which pass through holes I5 in the covers II and I2, and leaves I3. Each leaf of the book, or certain selected leaves thereof, is provided with a longitudinal recess I6 adapted to receive a musical comb assembly I'I.

The arrangement or position of the recess I6 and comb Il may be varied as desired, but as illustrated the recess is located in the right hand page, thus leaving the left hand page and the balance of the right hand page free for printed matter and illustrations of the nature indicated, and related to the tune played by vibrating the teeth of the comb.

The comb Il consists of a flat, thin strip of metal such as tempered steel which is initially stamped with all the integral teeth I8 at uniform maximum length. It is then restamped in a. suitable die so that the teeth will be cut in different lengths suitable to play the notes of the selected melody.

After the comb is restamped it is clamped tightly between two longitudinal plates I9 and 20 which substiantially cover the back portion 2I of the comb I1, so that the full length of the teeth will be exposed or projected beyond the plates I9 and 20. The plates I9 and 20 may be clamped to the back portion 2| of the comb by riveting, spot Welding or in any other suitable manner. The comb assembly may be secured in the recess in any suitable manner, as by making the bottom plate 20 slightly longer than the top plate I9 to provide protruding ends 22 which may be inserted between the laminations of cardboard in the leaves I3, which hold the comb I'I rigidly in the recess I6. When the comb assembly I'I is inserted in the recess I8 the top face of the upper plate I9 is in the same plane as the face of the leaf so that when the book is closed, the leaves all lie iiatwise, and face to face.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the teeth I8 are spaced from the bottom of the recess I6 by the bottom plate 20 so as to permit the teeth to vibrate freely. The plates I9 and 20 produce harmonics of the fundamental tones of the teeth and produce tones of good musical quality.

Also, referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that in the space to the right of the recess I6, the words 24 of a song are printed in a column, with each Word or syllable of a Word placed opposite the respective tooth which sounds the musical note to be associated with that particular word or syllable.

When it is desired to play the music or song on the musical comb Il, it is only necessary to vibrate the teeth I8 of the comb I'I by picking the teeth with a stylus 23. The stylus should vibrate the teeth successively from the top of the comb downwardly in the direction of arrow to sound each individual note of the song a sequence corresponding to the words or syllables 24 printed opposite the teeth. Because of the association between the teeth and the Words or syllables, it is very easy for a child to learn a song,

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A musical toy comprising, a musical comb having teeth thereon of irregular dimensions, the dimensions of successive teeth being such that when said teeth are vibrated successively in sequence from one end of the comb to the other, a musical melody may be played, said comb being mounted in a member having words of a song printed thereon, each Word or syllable of the song being printed opposite the tooth of the comb to which it is musically related.

2. A musical toy comprising a book having a.

of the song being printed opposite the tooth of the.

comb to which it is musically related.

ERNEST A. z AnIG. `15

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 369,258 Paillard et al Aug. 30, 1887 398,241 Ehrlich et al Feb. 19, 1889 424,293V Handel V V- Mar. 25, 1890 1 2,178,903 001e Nov. 7, 1939 Y FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 48,428 Germany Sept. 2, 1889 .411,054 YGreat Britain May 31, 1934 

